The Problem with Paperwork
by Blue Obsidian Butterfly
Summary: Paperworkgedden has arrived at Cyber Command.


**Disclaimer: *looks around for Riley and Gabriel* Sadly they don't belong to me.**

 **A/N: There really is no point to this but it was fun to write.**

"You have got to be kidding me." Riley rose an eyebrow at her partner's despondent, almost whiny tone. They were stuck at Cyber Command catching up on what Lillian referred to as 'essential paperwork', at least that's what she called it when she dumped the stacks of papers on their desks that morning. Every 'i' had to be dotted, every 't' crossed and every form completed.

In triplicate.

She wondered what they had done to deserve this.

"What's wrong?" she asked, putting her pen down, stretching her arms above her head. In response he held up his pen, shaking it to indicate the lack of ink. She could relate, having already used up a pen earlier. That's how bad the paperwork was. You would think that, being an agency based primarily in Cyber space everything would be digitalised but apparently not.

"You need another one?" he nodded and she tossed him one from the open packet on her desk. He caught it, sending her a mega-watt grin which she refused to admit caused a fluttering in her stomach. She was a seasoned agent for goodness sakes and he was her annoying, charming, caring, occasionally sweet when he wanted to be partner it was completely unprofessional not to mention a very bad idea.

"Thanks partner" and there it was again. She sighed, tapping her pen absentmindedly against the side of her desk. Pretty soon Gabriel joined in and they had a pretty good rhythm going when Nelson wondered in, hair sticking up and clothes rumpled. He had been there since last night and it showed.

"Have you guys seen Lillian in the past hour or so?" he asked. They both shook their heads and Nelson sighed, running a hand through his hair, not for the first time that day if his current state was any indication. Riley didn't think it was possible for his hair to get any messier but it did.

"Why do you ask?" she was beginning to feel sorry for him.

"This damn form needs her signature" he said, holding up a crumpled piece of paper. He realised he was squashing it in his fist and he relaxed, smoothing it out.

"Just leave it on her desk" Gabriel suggested shrugging. Nelson glared at him and Riley wondered if she should get in-between the two just in case.

"You think I haven't already tried that? Her dragon of an assistant wouldn't let me past, even went so far as to breath fire on me" he shuddered and she wondered if he was starting to lose it. Looking at their faces he sighed, visibly deflating as if his outburst had drained all of his energy.

"Sorry guys, you didn't deserve that. This paperwork kick Lillian's got us on is doing my head in."

"It's Ok, we understand" Gabriel replied.

"What's with that anyway, does she usually go all out like this?" Riley asked. She was curious why they suddenly had to do all of this.

"Occasionally but never this bad. It usually happens when she's angry at us but, to my knowledge none of us have done anything" Nelson explained, directing the last part at Gabriel. He gasped, mocking a wounded look in his direction making her laugh.

"Well we had better figure it out before she finds more 202s and action request forms" Riley said, her two colleagues quickly agreeing.

"Maybe Chris knows?" Gabriel suggested.

"Last I saw he was buried under a mountain bigger than both of yours" Nelson replied.

"Let's go dig him out then."

They found him at his desk, papers strewn about everywhere as he scribbled something on a form. He looked just as bad as Nelson did and Riley wondered if she would look the same by the end of the day.

"Hey" she said tentatively and he looked up, putting his pen down.

"I don't suppose all of you are finished and want to help out a friend?" he asked, sounding slightly desperate and they shook their heads in unison.

"Sorry" she replied.

"Actually we were wondering if you knew the reason behind this paper-workgedden" Gabriel said. Behind his back Nelson fist-bumped him.

"We're being audited" Chris replied obviously wishing harm upon the despicable auditors.

"Uh oh." Gabriel said.

"That's not good" Chris agreed. Riley looked between the three of them. "This is bad, isn't it?"

"You could say that" Gabriel said, the subtext in his voice clear.

"So what do we do?" she asked.

"The only thing we can: finish ASAP" all three of them groaned, knowing there was nothing more they could do-Lillian angry was an experience neither of them were eager to relive. Oh well, Riley supposed at least she had Gabriel to distract her.


End file.
